My father, Pfc. William W. Taylor Jr. served in the 100th. Infantry Division, 399th. Regiment, Co. A. His Division saw duty in France and Germany spending 185 consecutive days on the battle line. He wrote nearly 300 letters home chronicling his service to our country. Like so many combat veterans of the War he spoke little of his experiences, but these letters tell the story.

My Hero

As a young boy my heroes were from books. Fighting men like Captain Horatio Hornblower and Francis Marion "the Swamp Fox" fired my imagination. More than anything I wanted to be like them, strong, brave, and heroic. One day, while rummaging around my father's closet I came upon a large box. Arranged within the box were 5 or 6 dusty, dirty cigar boxes. Inside the boxes were hundreds of old letters. They were numbered, in sequence and in the original envelopes. I opened the first letter and started to read. From that day on, my hero became not Horatio Hornblower or Francis Marion, but Pfc. William Wellington Taylor, Jr., my father. The letters were his letters home from World War II.

NOTE: The letters in this collection appear in reverse order. To read them in chronological order starting with the first letter go to the link at the bottom of this page entitled "Read letters in order starting with Letter 1"

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Letter 203- June 17, 1945

June 17, 1945(Göppingen, Germany)

Dear Mudder and Dad,

Well today I received 3 very newsy letters from you which considerably helped brighten what would have been one stinko day.

I was very interested in your letter about Patton’s stay in L.A., especially since the Col. Elery Zehner (not Zuir) that you mentioned is my battalion commander. Anything he takes a bow for I’ve got a personal hand in. Modern air travel is really sumpin’ though. I spoke to Zehner one day and then about three days later he’s in my own home town. “Coises and Zounds”. Why ain’t I, ‘er sumpin’.

You’ll note I’m back in Göppingen after having been away. This is just a little temporary guard work. I’ll probably be back in Nürtingen before long. Göppingen, by the way is bigger than 30,000; about 75,000.

I’m glad you’ve been seeing the Cottles & Levinsons. I like them all.

I see where you’re somewhat disappointed over my lack of points—me too. Right now there is extreme bitterness in the Combat Infantry about it. I’ve even heard officers complain bitterly. One man said the only thing the Inf. has priority on is Purple Hearts—generally posthumously. The following is a piece from “YANK”—some romantic fool called the Inf. the “Queen of Battles”. We say he’s a liar. She’s just an old whore who’s flattered a bit, and is tossed a few pennies for her body but is shamefacedly set aside when her duties are no longer required.” Bitter? Why not? The Stars and Stripes announced tonight that 2/3 of our dead were Infantrymen. Personally I don’t think an Infantryman lives long enough to get many points.

It does hurt to see Ben with 65 points though. Not that I want him to get “skunked” but I don’t like to keep getting “skunked” myself. Not to keep “harping” on this same old subject but Maudlin put it aptly when he depicted the “chairborne paragraph” trooper telling the old Infantry man that his Combat badge didn’t count. What he needed was more of these battle participation stars, pointing at his own well tailored breast.